Getting a ring stuck on your finger is not uncommon. It can happen if you force a ring onto your finger that is too small, but it can also happen over time. Sometimes, your joints become arthritic, causing the joints or tissue to swell, which can cause the ring to get stuck.

Here’s an easy way to remove a stuck ring in 5 steps:

Squirt some Windex (or some soap or oil) on the finger and ring to lubricate it.

Elevate the hand overhead for 5-10 minutes with ice around the ring and finger.

Slide a long string of dental floss (or other thread) under the stuck ring with the bulk of it toward the fingertip (Figure 1).

Beginning at the top of the ring, tightly wrap the floss around and around your finger all the way up and over the knuckle (Figure 2).

Take the opposite end of the string and begin to unwrap the floss. The ring will slide over the knuckle as you go (Figure 3).

The HandCare Blog is managed by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the oldest and most prestigious medical specialty society dedicated to the hand and upper extremity. Visit www.HandCare.org for more information about conditions, injuries and treatment of the hand, arm, elbow and shoulder.